>But as several have pointed out, most of us don't see AFB any more in the
U.S.

Same in the UK - the burn policy has kept disease levels extremely low.  But EFB (shook swarming allowed as a treatment) is a serious problem and clearly spread by beekeepers via gloves, hive tools etc.  The evidence for this is that it is frequently found in adjacent colonies in the direction in which the beekeeper usually works the hives.  Of course, it is also spread by robbing and drifting - a recent large outbreak in this area is linked to beekeepers migrating to a crop of borage.

It makes sense to use good hygiene to prevent as much contact as possible whether it be by gloves, hive tools, supers, cappings and so on.  Not to do so increases risk.  Today we have been inspecting apiaries where some hives were shook swarmed last year: clean nitrile gloves for each apiary and gloves and hives tools washed in soda wash between each hive.  Press-in queen cages (Baldock/Crown of thorns) are also a great risk as they pierce brood, so they go in the bucket of soda wash after each use.

Best wishes

Peter 
52°14'44.44"N, 1°50'35"W

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html